“We’ve had direct discussions with the RCMP on a number of occasions; they were very forth coming with their intentions of going into the camp, undertaking arrests.”

Protesters are against three oil and gas projects in the area, including Shell’s TransCanada Coastal GasLink pipeline.

Project Manager Greg Cano (Sano) says crews trying to do field work have been blocked for three years, but after a complaint to the RCMP this week, they were finally able to do their work.

“It’s on essentially a forestry road, which is a public road, in our view itsa public road, in their view it’s their land, so we have a difference of opinion in law.”

He says interactions with the protesters have remained peaceful, so far.

Grand Chief Phillip, says they’ve been told a major police crackdown is imminent.

“Well quite frankly I don’t believe the statement; I think its deliberately misleading. We’ve heard a number of reports that all of the rooms have been taken up in both Burns Lake and Smithers by RCMP personnel.”

The camp, has been there for six years, so Phillip questions why there’s an increased police presence now.

Protesters are blocking access to work sites for projects including the Northern Gateway Pipeline.

Comments

Enough of minority rule already. I always thought I was born and raised in a democratic country that took the needs of the majority over the wantings of a few.
We ,the majority, would like to be able to sell our assets to more customers getting a better price which would give us more funding to better serve the wants and needs of all.
Why do you people want to let the Americans control our markets and our lives, would you sooner live under their system. Get your heads out of the sand. You are being used.

The Rockerfeller Foundation and Tides USA funded radicals are not exempt from the law.
10s of million have come into BC to protest pipelines and exploration as the Rockerfeller’s buy Canadian oil in the US midwest at a substantial discount, costing Canadians Billions.

I am fed up that the Indians believe they are a law unto themselves, yet continually have their hands out for all that our Governments dole out to them as they sidle up to the trough. They continually refuse to take any responsibility for their situation and blame all their woes and conditions on others. Concur with Al 100% on his comments.

Really, Really ? All I want is to see some accountability as to where all the $Billions go. The Indians are very adept at working the system as the perpetual underdog. Most Canadians would be overjoyed to get half the perks and $ these tribes get. But all the left wing bleeding heart liberals would go into a state of apoplexy should any Government call them to task….

I fully understand that untold Billions are given to First Nations and I hate the waste. Overpaid chiefs and no accountability. Millions spent on “discussions” on how to address native child mental health with nothing being done to actually help them. Its disgusting!

But at the same time “Europeans” have taken and taken and violated the First Nations peoples for generations.

Something has to give and it would seem that it’s only money that keeps getting made by lawyers and nothing else.

If there are legitimate concerns being protested it has to go through proper channels. Maybe It’s wrong but it’s law.

If you haven’t already, read Jared Diamonds book ” Guns, Germs and Steel ” the Indians are fortunate that the English and French colonized North America. Had it been the Spanish I doubt whether any Tribes would have survived their onslaught…

You would be wrong about the no treaties . . .
You can find Treaty 9 on the web . . . it covers a lot of Northern Ontario . . . signed in the 19th century.
What is interesting about the treaty is that the indians surrendered ALL to the Crown . . . and lived at the Pleasure of the Crown (govt).
Many more similar treaties ALL across the West . . . except for BC.
Liberal Canadian Courts of course re-interpreted these treaties in the 70s and 80s to guarantee the Canadian Taxpayer is on the hook for 100s of Billions for ever.

In an interview with a local paper Chief Philip’s evidence of the RCMP dismantling the camp was he heard the RCMP booked 200 rims to hold the force prior to going after the camp. Turns out not to true but now the Chief can (and will) that it’s his intervention that stopped the attack. And he gets his name in the news.

Finally this is making news down South. As the article said, this has been going on for years. Hunters, fisherman, hikers, and those enjoying Crown Land have been stopped and forced off Crown Land by these Natives. There has been many incidents over the years and I am surprised no one has gotten hurt yet.
This is Crown Land and Natives are stopping people from going on public property. Just like the Gitxsan has been doing outside of Terrace.
Enough already.

Long past time that the “Indian Act” was dismantled and the surfs set free.
It has been said that Canada’s Indian Act was the basis for South African Apartheid . . .
As the Chiefs and their friends make out like bandits, and many thousands of band members live is 3rd world conditions . . . this 100+ year experiment is obviously a dismal failure.
Some day a brave Canadian Govt will fix this nonsense and set the captives free . . . one thing for sure, it won’t be the liberals of the Dippers.